The Leaving London Series: The End Of The Comeback Era

Over the last four years leading into the London Olympics, it seemed like an unusually high number of swimmers returned to the sport in search of one last chance at Olympic glory.

Why?  Perhaps it is the trend that successful Olympic swimmers are excelling at an older age then before.  Science and funding is at the root of the success of older swimmers.

Some swimmers launched their comebacks successfully and made it to the London Olympics...

Hungary's Eva Risztov claimed Olympic Gold in the 10km
Open Water after retiring from 2005-2009

Eva Risztov
Anthony Ervin
Brendan Hansen
Tobias Oriwol
Libby Trickett
Laure Manaudou

Other swimmers saw their comebacks fall short of their expectations...

Ian Thorpe
Geoff Huegill
Michael Klim
Janet Evans
Dara Torres
Ed Moses

Although this is nowhere near an exhaustive list, it does give you a sense that a lot of big names came back to give this Olympic cycle a try.  Some of these comeback athletes will even stick and will continue beyond London, like Trickett who has vowed a campaign to making the Australian Olympic Team again in 2016.

There will be swimmers launching comeback campaigns leading into the 2016 Rio Games but I would find it hard to believe that the list could be as compelling as the list of those who made a 2012 run.  Sure... there's a guy who won 22 Olympic medals who would be the beginning and end of compelling comeback stories but beyond that 2012 will stand as the apex of the swimmer Olympic comeback era.

TOMORROW... Ryan Lochte!  Jeah!